two e30s

I have two e30s with "issues" and am trying to decide what I want to do with them. The obvious choice of course is to drop a LS1 into one while setting the other up for spec e30. But I'm poor, so neither of those are on the table. Here goes:

A 1990 325i 2-door with manual tranny. 85K miles. Its a 2 owner car. The second owner was a friend who didn't drive it much, but didn't take care of the niggling stuff either. It's very clean for its age, with a laundry list of little things and one big thing - he put in lowering springs, then holed the oil pan. The motor is shot.

A 1988 325is 2-door with automatic. 210k miles It was bought from a towing company. It's seen a harder life: more overall wear, a number of small dings, crappy seats, nasty sound from the rear - probably bearings, possibly diff. A longer laundry list of small issues including a heater that was mysteriously bypassed. It runs a little hot in slow traffic, which I think is a bad fan clutch. It had some electrical issues, as witnessed by crimp connectors in a variety of locations. Has aftermarket wheels. The car has not had an easy life.

Both are California cars, so rust is a non-issue. The 325i may be cleaner, but looks kinda dowdy, whereas the 325is an attractive silver grey. My 13YO son has his eyes on the automatic is as his first car when he comes of age. The automatic cuts the balls off of the motor, but he doesn't care at this point. Before I go into options, let me say that I don't really enjoy working on "modern" cars that much, and with a family don't have a ton of hours to spend on them. My wife would really rather I get rid of one.

Option A: fix up both.

Option B: Take the good stuff off of the 325is including the wheels, springs and struts, LSD, steering wheel, stereo and engine and put them on the 325i. Scrap/part out what's left.

Option C:?

Both cars were bought cheap (under $1K each), so I don't have a strong need to recoup investments.

What does the GRM brain trust think?

Thanks in advance!

option B

If I was closer it would be Option C, let me come buy the car with the holed motor.

WHat color is it?

Option c. Get a good motor for the 90. Rebuild yours or start fresh. Either way. If the 88 motor has that mileage and runs hot it is a blink away from a new head gasket anyway. Transfer the springs from the 88 to the 90 as well as any working knicknacks. Drive this car daily and smile a lot.

For the 88. Sell it to cover the engine purchase or hold it an rebuild it slowly with your son so he earns the car. Good bonding time and a likely reduction in joining if he knows how much work went in to putting it together.

The holed motor car is white. Sounds like a spun bearing.

Save the low milage plastic-bumpered car. It will be worth more, and is arguably better looking. When he grows up he will be happy to drive a classic manual low milage car, instead of a high milage metal bumpered car. White is the classic E30 color. Swap interior as needed.

Option C

C: Save up enough money to buy an M50/52 or even an S50/52. Remove the M20 and source all the parts with all the experience online. You and your Son can bond building that car.

We had similar project, but the engine was mint. Just needed cooling system and a lot of cosmetics. Our future plan was to put an S52 in it and drive it forever, but we decided on an airbag car for my Son instead. If our '90 had an airbag, we would still have it. It was picked up on Thursday. ;(.

Good Luck!

I would go option B and then gut the leftover car and search for an M50 for it.

what are people paying for e30's anymore? did the market cool off any? last i tried looking they were still creeping up, or at least the numbers people were asking was.

I'd put the fan clutch from the '90 325i on the '88 325is, and see if that stops the overheating. If it does, I'd go one of two ways.

• Sell the 325is, use proceeds to buy new motor for 325i. Depending on how much you can get for it and how much work you want to do, this could be an M20 in better shape, a later twin can six, or an LS variant. Truck LS motors aren't expensive, but would take a bit of work to swap in.

or

• Drive the 325is, sell or part out 325i.

Thanks guys. One thing that I've realized is that I need to thoroughly check out the motor in the 325is. At 200k it might have another hundred or more on it - given that it's been attached to an automatic it probably hasn't bounced off the rev-limiter too often. But if it's shot, that's another strike against the older car. I've also been thinking about what mr2peak said: the newer car is a rarity as a well-treated sub 100k car. Nice examples are worth good money, and if I treat it nice, it'll take me many more years, whereas abused out 200k plus e30s are all over the place in Norcal.

I'm definitely leaning towards B. The older car has the bits and pieces that the newer car lacks to become a proper enthusiast steed, I don't honestly need m50 levels of speed (see upcoming Locost project). As for my son, he can help me on the build, and it'd be better if he learns a stick anyway.j